Top local women's finisher Lauren Sara of Stratford heads for the finish of the Fairfield Half Marathon in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday, June 23, 2013. Sara finished as the 4th woman and 30th overall in a time of 1:21:00. less

Top local women's finisher Lauren Sara of Stratford heads for the finish of the Fairfield Half Marathon in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday, June 23, 2013. Sara finished as the 4th woman and 30th overall in a time of ... more

Darius Colson, left of Norwalk, and Susan Zhou, of Stamford, root on their friend, Edwin Rosales of Norwalk, near the finish of the Fairfield Half Marathon in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday, June 23, 2013.

Darius Colson, left of Norwalk, and Susan Zhou, of Stamford, root on their friend, Edwin Rosales of Norwalk, near the finish of the Fairfield Half Marathon in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday, June 23, 2013.

Race leaders Shadrack Kipkorir Kiy, left, and Eric Chirchir, both from Kenya, run stride for stride down Old Field Road in the Fairfield Half Marathon in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday, June 23, 2013. Chirchir won the race in 1:05:58 with Kiy placing second in 1:06:15. less

Race leaders Shadrack Kipkorir Kiy, left, and Eric Chirchir, both from Kenya, run stride for stride down Old Field Road in the Fairfield Half Marathon in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday, June 23, 2013. Chirchir won ... more

Ethiopia's Tigist Tufa was the top female runner, placing 16th overall with a time of 1:15:24. Stratford's Laura Sara was Fairfield County's first female to finish, placing fourth among the women and 30th overall with a time of 1:21.

"The last part was not pretty," Sara said. "It was a lot harder, and it was hot. But it was really well organized, and I think they took out one of the big hills, which was nice."

Christopher Barrett was the top Fairfield finisher. The 26-year-old placed 35th and posted a personal best time of 1:21:39.

"It was awesome," Barrett said. "There were a lot of people out on the course. It was just great."

Tom Harding was Westport's top finisher, placing 52nd with a time of 1:24:47.

Chirchir, Kiyai, Sang and Bekele ran in a pack for about five miles, as the route meandered through Sasco Hill and into Westport.

Chirchir led with a 29:01 time after six miles, then he and Kiyai pulled ahead. They even passed the police escort and press truck, which were momentarily stalled on Westport's exclusive Beachside Avenue when a motorist in a Porche wandered onto the course.

The Kenyans ran side-by-side through mile 12, until Chirchir kicked in the afterburners -- sprinting ahead and crossing the finish line ahead of Kiyai by 17 seconds.

"I was trying to push," Kiyai said. "But I didn't have any energy anymore."

The hilly course stretched into Westport for the first time in 12 years. Miles 5 through 8 looped through Westport's Greens Farms area and offered scenic views of Long Island Sound as the courses headed back toward cheering crowds in Southport and Fairfield.

"I love the old course, but this one is good too," Barrett said. "It got a little quiet out by Greens Farms Academy, but other than that, you get a lot of crowd support coming back into Fairfield."

Chirchir lauded the course, saying "it reminds me of my home in Kenya." Still, like Sara, the winner admitted he was worn down by the intense heat and humidity.

"The weather was not nice," Chirchir said. "It was hot, humid, and I was not feeling comfortable."

With 80-plus-degree heat and bright sun, there were multiple police-radio transmissions about runners in distress. Fairfield Assistant Fire Chief Chris Tracy said there were "heat-related injuries, but nothing out of the ordinary."

Twelve people were treated for dehydration, and five of them were transported to the hospital, race officials said.

Sara, a 2010 Bunnell High School graduate who is a long-distance runner and just finished her junior season at the University of Connecticut, was impressed by the pace. She ran the race in 2010 and averaged a 6:50 mile but posted a 6:11 average mile this year.

"We went out really fast, too fast for me," Sara said. "I was definitely feeling it after mile 8. I wasn't sure I was going to finish it, but I did."